Description
A quick and flavorful Shrimp Pesto Penne recipe combining tender shrimp, crisp sugar snap peas, and fragrant pesto sauce all tossed with perfectly cooked penne pasta. Ready in just 30 minutes, this vibrant dish is perfect for a satisfying weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 12 ounces penne pasta
Seafood and Vegetables
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined (21 to 25 count)
- 1 (8 ounce) package sugar snap peas, cut into ½-inch pieces
Sauce and Flavorings
- 1 (8 ounce) container refrigerated prepared pesto
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Cook the penne pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water before draining the pasta to use later in the sauce.
- Cook Shrimp and Snap Peas: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook undisturbed for 2 minutes to get a nice sear. Then add the sugar snap peas and continue to stir until the shrimp are almost fully opaque and the peas are tender-crisp.
- Combine and Finish: Stir in the refrigerated pesto and cooked penne pasta into the skillet with shrimp and snap peas until everything is evenly coated. Add the lemon zest and lemon juice, tossing gently to combine. Gradually add reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce to your preferred consistency. Serve immediately to enjoy the fresh flavors.
Notes
- Reserve pasta water is key to adjusting the sauce consistency without watering down the flavors.
- Use fresh lemon zest and juice to brighten the pesto and shrimp flavors.
- Do not overcook shrimp; remove from heat as soon as they turn opaque to keep them tender.
- Fresh sugar snap peas add a nice crunch but can be substituted with green beans or asparagus if unavailable.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute penne pasta with gluten-free pasta.